Machine for doffing spinning and like machines



June 24, 1952 J. GREGORY ETAL MACHINE FOR DOFFING SPINNING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed July 14, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l 5mm/70H6; JAMES GREGORY 650565 4. ,et FOSTER farm/ o @An/N6 5)/ ,74A/rw@ W n-roRnlEv J. GREGORY ETAL June 24, 1952 MACHINE FOR DoEEING-SPINNING AND LIKE MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1948 AU? m. v

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R Y E www o sof/MMU R GRH A. mwh. o ys 5% fMoR 1 Y i2. Je V 5 K m ...1W n//v e SN .1 e ZO@ .am m @im 6 7E. f Wim. 2 e if mw V550 m. S H 4 IMX Mn Y @4%. d# m V L L A m T A um mm G w M Nu G n F E m w A M June 24, 1952 Flled July 14, 1948 June 24, 1952 J. GREGORY ETAL MACHINE FOR DOF'F'ING SPINNING AND LIKE MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 14, 1948 .JAMES GKEGORY @50H65 f?. FOSTER HAROLD CA TL/NG' HTTOWNEY Patented June 24, 1952 MAHINE FOR DOFFING` SPINNING AND LIKE MACHINES James Gregory, George Alfred Rea Foster, and Harold Catling, Didsbury, England, assignors to The British Cotton Industry Research Association, Didsbury, Manchester, England, a

British association Application July 14, 1948, Serial No. 38,636 In 'Great Britain July 16, 1947 14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to doffing apparatus for spinning, doubling and twisting` frames, with particular reference to the improved method `of dofiing incorporated. in` Patent No. 2,449,742 dated September 2l, 1948, Ywherein a method `and machine are described, the use of which eliminates the necessity for manual doihng of such spinning, doubling and twisting frames'l In the specication of the aforesaid patent, particular reference is made to a carriage doiier, which carried the doiing mechanism and was moved step by step to predetermined fixed positions along the vframe and at each such position the (io-fling mechanism was caused to perform a cycle of movements for dofing a set or group of the bobbins` of theframe, a cycle of events hereinafter termed adofiing cycle, after which the carriage was moved along the frame to the next set `of bobbins and soon until the whole of one side of the frame was doiied; it was, convenient, though not essential, to have two doifers, one left handed land one right handed for doiiing opposite sides of the frame. It is with mechanical dofiers of the kind having a doffer carriage moving step-by-step as aforesaid to positions determined by latching mechanism that the present invention is concerned.

Hiftherto, in mechanical dofiers of the kind above referred to, the traversing of the carriage doier from one position to another, and ultimately its return to the starting point, has been eilected manually and inevitably with some loss of time and absorption of labour.

Thel object of the present invention is to provide for automatic traverse of the doier carriage between each doi-ling cycle, whereby on completion of a doihng cycle the traverse will'be initiated and on completion of a traverse the next doiingcycle will be initiated, and whereby the wholedoiimg operation may be more rapid, and a` saving of time and labour maybe effected.

One problem is, therefore, to apply a driving force for moving the carriage as quickly as possible in each step-by-step movement, and to discontinue such driving force and bring the carriage to rest accurately at each required position. It has beenfound that in order to achieve this-object and at the same time to prevent severe vibration and shock at the moment when the moving carriage isV brought to rest, it is necessary `to arrangethat at` this moment the velocity or' the carriage should be reasonably low.

YAccording to the invention dofiing apparatus of the kind comprising a doliing carriage mounted on wheels and movable step-by-step todrive to the` carriage oncompletion of' a dioing cycle, and means in timed relation with the reengagement of the latching mechanism at the next position to actuate both the meansfor stopping the drive to the carriage andthe means tostart the drive to the doing mechanismfor thenext doiing cycle. 1

In apreferred embodiment of the invention the latching mechanism is arranged so thatunlatching is effected by the clotting mechanism just before completion of the dofting cycle' and such unlatching movement of the latch initiates the traverse and so that re-engagement of the latch stops the traverse and restarts the dhiing mechanism for the next dofiing cycle. w

The domng apparatus aforesaid may be fur"- ther characterised by means for returning the carriage toV1 the starting end of the frame after completing the dofng'iof the last set ofi spindles;

Accordingto one embodiment of the invention applicabl'e'to ring frames, and as' appliedto the apparatus described and illustrated in the specification and drawings of the earlier patent specification No. 2,449,742', hereinbefore referred to', this may be Vachieved by the mechanism `described below', the motive power being provided by an electric motor which is." mounted on the` carriage, andwhich may also be usedtooperate the remainder of themechanism on the carriage. Power is delivered by a cable Wound on a. drum iixedto thejcarriage, and'` which is permitted `to unwind when the carriage moves forward by means of a freewheel device, and rewoundon the drumi during' the reverse movement of the. `carriage by' means of. a continuously operated `slipping-clutch. Two, different ratio gears are enfiployed to drive the carriage forward. Over most of each traverse the high gear is engaged,f but, as the next latching position iS approached, a lower gear comes into operation;` this low gear (about` one-tenth of the' high gear ratio)f acts largely as abrake to the momentum of the car- 3 riage, and ensures that the shock of the sudden stopping of the carriage is reduced to a reasonable value.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of this invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic isometric View, partly in section, of that part of the mechanism which includes the latching system, the transport drive, the three speed shaft and the road wheel gear, the road wheel driving mechanism being raised for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 1a shows diagrammatically the method of engaging reverse gear.

Fig. 1b is a perspective view showing certain of the parts in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of the three speed shaft. l

Fig. 3 shows the cable drum mechanism.

Fig. 4 shows the timing shaft and clutch mechanism for the dofling cycle.

It is to be assumed that when employing this embodiment of the invention, a special lower rail O (see Figs. 1 and 3) is fitted to the ring frame, on which the road wheels of the doier carriage will run. 1n addition, the ring frame has a special upper rail O1 tted with a series of pegs P placed accurately and at fixed intervals, so as to locate the carriage accurately with respect to each set of spindles to be doffed.

Referring to Fig. 1, I is an upper latching element (with a notch 2 which closes over the pegs P mentioned above)A which is carried on a shaft 3 in journalled bearings (not shown but Iattached to the rail I5 described later) to which shaft 3 are fixed two levers 4 and 5. The upper latch element I also carries a cam bowl 8 which is free to run on the top surface 1 of a sliding member 8. The member 8 is drilled and carries bearings in which a short rotatable shaft 9 is carried. Secured to the shaft 9 are a lower latch element I8 and a trip lever II, the latter being tted with a cam bowl I2.V The lower latch element I is spring-loaded by means of a spring I3 against a stop not shown, which stop prevents th-e latch I0 from rotating in an anti-clockwise direction beyond the position in which it is drawn. I yis a rail which forms part of a frame of the carriage doifer, and is arranged so that the sliding member 8 can slide along the vertical face of the rail I5v by means of studs of which I6 is one, and which studs slide in a slot II cut in the rail I5. The shaft 9 also passes through this slot Il. These studs I6 also serve to maintain the sliding member 8 in contact with the vertical face of the rail I5. Lateral movement of the member 8 is limited at one end by a rubber buffer I8. The sliding member 8 is normally held against the buffer I8 by means of a spring A, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1 but arranged in practice to permit the full movement of the sliding member 8. The upper latch element I is spring-loaded in a down position through the lever 4 to which is attached a spring C carried on a rod I8 passing through a hole I51 in the rail I5, the upper end of the spring abutting against the rail and the lower end of the spring engaging an adjustable nut I91; the actual position taken up by the latch I at any moment is determined by the movement of the bowl 6 along the top surface l of the sliding member 8, one end 'Ia of which surface slopes downwards Ias shown. The lever 5 carries an adjustable trip-rod 28 which will be referred to below.

A spring-loaded shaft 2| is carried in bearings not shown on the carriage and to it is attached a lever 22 which by means of a tension spring 23 4 maintains the shaft normally in the position shown. To the shaft 2 I is fixed a lever 24 to which is attached a pre-selecting lever 25 for highsped forward and high speed reverse gear described later. At its lower end there is secured to the lever 25 a pin 25a. To the shaft 2l are also attached a lever 26 which oprates a clutch described later for a slow speed mechanism, and a lever 21, the end of which carries a 1bowl 28, the movement of which bowl against a lower face 29 of the sliding member 8 determines the position of the lever 21 and the rotational position of the shaft 2l. The lever 26 is forked and across the fork is a peg which engages a stepped lever 3l, to the lower end of which is secured, by a pin 32, a link 33 which passes through a slowspeed clutch operating lever 35 and is located with respect to the lever 35 by a collar 34, a buffer spring 36 and a nut 31. The trip rod 28 carried in a xed bearing, not shown, towards its right-hand end is located in a slot Sla in the upper end of the stepped lever 3I. At the pin 32, the junction of the link 33 and the lever 3|, there is also pinned a lever 38 which is carried at a fulcrum pin 39 by a bearing support 40 to which the pin 39 is secured. The lever 38 also carries a leaf spring 4I which spring loads the lever 3| against the peg 30. The movement of the lever 38 is limited in one direction by a pin 42 which is attached to the bearing bracket 49. A pin 43 connects the end of the lever 38 to a short lever 44, both ends of which are slotted, the slot 44a at one end only being shown, and which is carried at its fulcrum by a pin 45 which is secured to a bracket 46. One slotted end of the lever 44 engages a rod 41 to one end of which is secured a spring B, and the other end of which is adjust- .ably secured in a slot 431 in a link 48 having a hook 482. The hooked link 48 is a trip member,

the downward movement of which is arranged to initiate the doing cycle, as described later. The spring B is adjustably secured at its lower end by a nut B1 to a base casting 53 of the doifer carriage described below.

A transport drive shaft 49 carried by the doier carriage is at all times rotated by means of a sprocket 5I and a chain 58 from a motor, as indicated at M (Fig. l) This shaft 49 is carried in two end bearings (not shown) and in a centre bearing 52 in the base casting 53 of the doier carriage, To this shaft 49 are secured a high speed sprocket 54, a slow speed sprocket 55 and a reverse-gear driving pinion 55, the latter engaging a second pinion 51 to which is attached a reverse gear sprocket 58. The parts 51 and 58 rotate together on a short shaft 59 which is secured at one end in a slot in the centre bearing 52. A three speed shaft 68 carried in brackets 53a on the b-ase 55` (see Fig. 2) has sprockets 54, 85 and 85 secured to it. rPhe transport shaft 49 transmits its drive to the three speed shaft by one or other of three chains 6I, 62 or 63 which engage respectively the reverse sprockets 58 and 54, the high speed forward sprockets 54 and 65 or the slow speed sprockets 55 and 66.

To the shaft 88 (see Figs. l and 2) are pinned a cast iron fiange 81 of the reverse gear clutch and a cast iron disc 68 of the forward gear clutch, 58 being common to both high speed and low speed forward gears. 89 is a friction face complementary to the flange 67 and is carried by a hanged outer sleeve 1U, which can rotate about an inner sleeve 'H (see Fig. 2) which inner sleeve can rotate about the shaft 6l). The outer sleeve 18 carries thedriving sprocket 54 and the end of the inner sleeve 1| isxprofiledto form the movablelface cam i2. The method of employing the various `face cams is illustrated in Fig. 1 at 8l andlB. i4 is a circular flange, the end of which islprofiled. at 13 'toform thexed face cam complementary to l2, the flange 'iii Ybeing carriedby a .centre 'bearing bracket 53h. A high speed reverse operatinglever 'l5 is clamped to the inner sleeve 7|, the lever 'l5 being notched at 15a to receive the selector-.lever pin 25a. previously described. Adjacent to the lever 'i5 is ahigh speed :forward lever 1G inwhich is cut the proiiled slot .15ct. This lever it is clamped to an inner sleeve which can 'rotate about the shaft G andthe end of which isprofiled to form a movable face. cam 18. This face cam 78 engages a'xed face cam i9 carried by a circular flange 80 which is secured with the `flange '1A to the bracketib. A flanged outer sleeve 82 carries thehigh speedforward sprocket 65 and also carries a friction face 83 which can make contact with` one side of the cast iron disc 68. A flanged outersleeve 84 carries the slow speed forward sprocketl and a friction face `85. The iianged outer :sleeve 84 can rotate about an inner sleeve 8S vwhichin turn rotates about the shaft 6D. 8e is profiled at one end to form the movable face cam il?. A fixed circular flange` 89 is profiled to form the fixed face cam 88 complementary to the movable face cam 8l. VThe flange 89 is secured to the end bracket 53a of base casting 53. The slow speed forward operating lever 35 is clamped to the inner sleeve Se. By means of three thrust races .8|, SI2, and SI* Vthe flanged outer sleeves ||3,'82 and Sil and the inner sleeves 7|, 'Il and 86,

are located respectively to. ensurethat the fixed and movable face cams arein their correct relative positions. The reverse lever 75 and the high speedforward lever` 16 are spring-loaded at one end. by tension springs SE1 and 9&2 secured to the base casting 53. Pinned to the shaft Se is a driving-sprocket 9| which transfers the drive through a chain 92 to a driving sprocket 93 which is pinned to a lay shaft 94.

`This shaft 94 carried at one end in a bearing 95 in .the bearing housing 91 carries a springloaded` clutch member 99, the loading being carried out by a spring Illll. The clutch member 99 is located on theshaft 94 by a key |U| and the clutch member 9e is normally in engagement with another clutch member |02. These clutch members are shown widely spaced for the sake of clarity. To the clutch member |82 is secured a pinion |63, this assembly being free to rotate about the shaft 96 and being carried in bearings |012 in the bearing housing 98 mounted on the doffer carriage. The pinion I e3 engages a reduction gear wheel |05 which transfers the drive through a shaft me to a driving wheel |01. The spring-loaded clutch member 99 can be disengaged from the member |52 by a shoe IBB which for clarity is shown disengaged from the groove H3 and from the lever |89. Such lever is carried by a Bowden cable Htl, which cable is located by a casting HI xed on the housing 98. One end of the shoe |88 fits into a hole I2 in the lever |09 and the other end engages a groove H3 in theclutch member 99. The lever |69 is also shown raised and broken to avoid obscuring other parts.

Referring to Fig. la, the selecting-lever 25 has, at its lower extremity. a stern 25h which passes through a slot 53e in the base casting 53. This stem 25h is engaged by the forked end H8 of a lever `I Hl. This lever H4 is secured to the casting 53 by a fulcrumupin lH5 and carries :a'tits other end, al cam `bowl H6. `It isspring-loadd by a spring HT, `so.thatthe'pintZrt (see `11) is normally engaged at theend of the horizontal portion of the proledslot 'malin the highspeed forward lever 76.

As shown in Figs. l and 4, thedoiiingmechanism includes a timing'shaft X (whichis'also given the same reference in the grantedPatent No. 2,449,742), having a `cam |25 .adapted to engage a bowl |23 atonefextremityoffa lever |22, the other end of which `is'adapted to engageuthe bowl I2 when the sliding member 8 isfat ytheleft hand position with the lowerlatch elementl resting against a peg P with .the upper latch member `|.also .engaged with the .same peg. The lever |22 ispivotally-carried :bya bracket |22a on the doifer carriage and is loaded by :a tension spring |24. The timing shaftis arrangedl-for a single revolution for each doiling` cycle by Amechanism (see Figs) as follows:

On the cam shaftXis a `worm wheel a,.in mesh with whichis a worm b'xedto a shaftc. The worm ishollow and formsoa housing `for a `spring d which is also partly housedin thehub elifoffa friction clutch member e which is slidably keyed to the shaft cbya key e2. Rotatably journalled on the shaft is a complementary clutchmember f positioned by a retaining collar f1, `said clutch member having a chain sprocket f2 by which Iit is continuously/.driven fromthe motor provided for driving continuously the shaft -49 .previously described. l

The slidable clutch member e is adaptedtobe moved, for disengagement, against the springwd* by means of alever g pivotally mounted on the dorfer carriage at g1 which lever at its upper end is `pivotally connected to alcatch link h. This link his supported .at `its free `end bya springfi andis formed with an internal camface `hllyand shoulder h2, `the latter adapted to cooperate with a peg al lfixed in the face-of `the worm wheela. The extreme end of the lever h is adapted to be engaged by the hooked link 48 which is shown also inlig. A1. by the spring m as shown.

In Fig. 4 the dong mechanism is'shown just prior to the commencement of a dofling cycle, the clutch being positively disengaged by thezpeg af engaging the shoulder h2.

In operation, as soon as the lever h is depressed by means of the hook link 48, operated as described later, on the engagement of the latch, the shoulder h2 is disengaged from the-peg w1. The clutch part e is, as a result, forced bythe spring d into frictional engagement with thereontinuously rotating complementaryclutch part vf and the consequent rotation of the worm b commences to rotate the cam shaft X starting the cloning cycle. As the shaft` X nearsthe `comple tionof one revolution the peg a1 passes beneath the cam face h1 and thereby ensures that the peg al engages the shoulder h2 onthe leverh. The hooked link li8 previously pulled down to initiate the cloning cycle is returned to itsnormalposition to engage the lever hready for starting the next doiiing cycle, as described later. As soon as the peg engages the shoulder h2 it commences to withdraw the sliding part c of the clutch against the action of the spring d until there is no longer sufficient frictional engagement to rotate the worm and thereby `stops further rotation of the cam-shaft.

Meanwhile the cam |25 has depressed the lever |22 thereby loweringthelower latch element I0 The hooked link |18 `is tensioned` until it disengages from the peg P whereupon the sliding member 8 is moved to the right by the spring A thereby initiating the start of the traverse of the doffer carriage, as described below, the parts of the traverse mechanism now being in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The sequence of events during the operation of the traversing and latching mechanism is as follows:

The motor, which has been running to drive the dofng mechanism now operates to effect the traverse, the high speed forward gear being engaged by engagement of the friction disc 83 with the cast iron disc 68 and all the other parts being in the position shown in Fig. 2. The motor therefore eifects the start of the traverse at high speed through the chains 62 and 92 to the driving wheel |01.

The doffer carriage then moves along the rail to the right in Fig. l in high speed forward gear until the lower latch element Il) strikes the next peg P along the frame. The sliding member 8 now moves back (to the left in Fig. 1) with respect to the carriage (the carriage continuing to move forward with respect to the frame), the studs I6 moving along the slot During this movement of the sliding member 8, the lower face 29 of the member 8 strikes the cam bowl 28 and thereby depresses the lever 2. This in turn 'causes the shaft 2| to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction against the tension of the spring 23 and this rotation causes the lever 24 to lift. This, through the pin 25a on the lever 25 lifts the lever 16 and in doing so rotates the inner sleeve 'H and its cam face 'I8 in a direction such that this cam face 'i8 and the fixed cam face 'I9 previously partially separated now move together, with the result that by means of the thrust race 8|, the flanged outer sleeve 82 moves back with the inner sleeve 18 .allowing the clutch face 83 to move out of contact with the fixed clutch face 68. The high speed forward gear is thus disconnected. While the lever 24 has been moving up, the lever 26 has also moved up, the pin 30 engaging the stepped lever 3| and moving this upwards with the result that the link 33 also moves upwards, taking the lever 35 with it and rotating the inner sleeve 86. By a mechanism complementary to that described above for thev disengagement of high speed forward gear, slow speed forward gear is engaged when the movable friction face 85 makes contact with the complementary face of the cast iron disc 58 (see Fig. 2). Slow speed forward gear is thus engaged and it may be pointed out that the necessary gear ratios are obtained by adjusting the relative diameters of the sprockets 54 and 65, 55 and 66, and (for reverse gear described below) 58 and 54. It will also be seen that whatever the speed and the direction of rotation of the relevant sprocket on shaft 60, the drive is transferred to the lay shaft 94 by means of the sprocket 9| and the chain 92.

The upward movement of the lever 3| also moves the levers 38 and 44 so that the pin 41 held in the forked end of the lever 44 moves the hooked link 48 in an upward direction and this movement of the link 68 springs its hooked end over the end of the lever h to the position shown in Fig. 5. In the meantime, the continued relative movement of the carriage to the frame has resulted in the latch element arriving at a position in which the bottom face la of such latch element is above the peg P and by reason of the engagement of the lower latch element I with the peg P, the cam bowl 6 has been moving over the sliding member B until said cam bowl has moved over the sloping face 1a, such bowl being prevented from running down this face by the presence of the peg beneath the surface la of the upper latch element Further movement of the carriage brings the notch 2 over the peg and the upper latch element then drops over the peg and the cam bowl 6 drops on to the sloping face 'la under the action of the spring C. At the same time, the short shaft 3 is rotated and the trip lever 2G is moved by the lever 5 so that the stepped lever 3| is moved oi the peg 30, allowing the link 33 to be pulled down b-y the action of the spring B through the levers 44 and 38, thereby disengagng slow speed forward (by a reversal of the process described earlier on) and pulling down the hooked link 48. This pulling down of the link 48 to its previous position by the engagement of the upper latch member over the peg P initiates the doiiing cycle as already described with reference to Fig. 4. While the carriage is latched on the frame, both forward gears are in a neutral position. The backward movement of the sliding member 8 has also brought the bowl l2 of the lower latching member ||l over the end of the lever |22 ready for tripping thereby as previously described just before com- Y pletion of the doing cycle. The cam |25 depresses the bowl |23 thereby raising the other end of the lever |22 against the bowl I2 lowering the catch lever l away from the peg P allowing the spring A to pull the sliding member to the right.

During this movement to the right of the sliding member il the cam bowl 6 moves upthe sloping surface 'lo with the result that the upper latch element is moved off the peg and with the further result that the cam bowl 28 ceases to be in Contact with the face 29, and the shaft 2| with the various components it carries moves back under the action of the spring 23 to the positions shown in Fig. 1. The stepped lever 3| also re-engages with the peg 35. The unlatching of the element also has the result that by a movement opposite to that described above for the disengagement of high speed forward gear, high speed forward gear is now re-engaged. The carriage therefore moves 01T.

During the movement of the carriage towards the last peg on the frame rail o1 and after high speed forward gear has been disengaged for the last time, it is arranged that the cam bowl ||6 (see Fig. la) comes into contact with a fixed cam (not shown) on the ring frame. As a result, the forked end |8 of the lever ||4 is moved and thereby causes the stem 25h to move along the slot 53o against the tension of the spring The pin 25a then moves along the horizontal portion of the proled slot 16a in the lever 16 until it engages the notch 15a in the lever 15, remaining in this position until the doffing cycle is completed. It will be understood that the gear selecting lever 25 has been raised to disengage high speed forward gear and therefore has brought the pin 25a opposite the notch 15a. On the sliding member 8 moving to the right on the completion of the last doiing the pin 25a takes with it the lever 15 but does not move the lever 'I6 because it is positioned so that it moves down the vertical portion of the profiled slot 16a. As a further result the inner sleeve 1| is rotated and the movable cam face 'l2 climbs up the fixed cam face T3 thus transferring a movement through the thrust race 8| to the outer sleeve 15 and engaging the movable clutch face 69 with the aeo'insse fixed clutch face 61. As a result reverse gear is engaged, for by means of the pinion 5T, it is arranged that the sprocket 64 rotates in a direction opposite to that of sprockets 65 and 66. The carriage therefore moves back along the frame and the upper latch element I being in the raised position, the carriage has a clear run back to its starting point. The lower latch element I0 is depressed by each peg as it passes under them. The clutch members 00 and |02 being normally in engagement, the drive is transferred to the pinion |03 and the reduction gear wheel I05 and tlence through the shaft |00 to the road wheel I 'I.

In order to make it convenient to manipulate the machine on to and off the frame by hand, the clutch member 99 can be disengaged through the Bowden cable H0.

Having now described the essential traversing and latching mechanisms, it is necessary to explain how electric power is conveyed to the doffer carriage while it is operating, This is achieved by fitting the dofer carriage with a rotating cable drum, a slip ring electrical contact device and a combined free wheel and slipping clutch mechanism for winding and unwinding the cable on the drum. In considering Fig. 3 let us assume that the doffer carriage has just been hand manipulated on to the frame preparatory to doffing. A driving wheel 20| which is not positively driven but by friction between it and the auto-doffer rail O turns in clockwise direction, thereby causing a shaft 202 to rotate, this shaft being carried by roller and ball races 203 and 204 in a casting 205 which is secured to the dofler carriage. The shaft 208 is pinned to the shaft 202 at 207 and carried at its other end in a bearing (not shown). The shaft 200 drives friction clutches 209 and 2I0 which though for convenience shown lwidely separated are adapted to transmit the drive to a free wheel 203 by engaging the opposite faces thereof. The sprocket 2000. of the free wheel 208 is connected by a chain 2l I to a sprocket 2I2 which is itself fastened to a cable drum 2I5 at 2I3. A shaft 2H! to which the cable drum 2I5 is pinned at 236 carries the cable drum assembly which comprises the rotating drum 2I5 (which carries the cable 226) and insulating piece 2I6 fastened to the inner side of the drum 2 I 5. This insulating piece 2I0 carries two brass rings 2Il and 2 I8 which, as will be seen, act as conductors for the electric supply of the motor. The shaft 2M is carried in bearings 22| and 222, a block 223 which houses bearing 22| being secured to the doifer carriage. Bearing 222 is carried by a fixed casting 222 which is in turn secured by a bolt 226 to another fixed casting 225 which is itself secured to the doffer carriage by bolts 221. Spring-loaded plungers 220 (only one shown) which make permanent contacts with the rings 2I'I and 2 I8 are fitted into the fixed casting 224. The shaft 2I4 carries a grounding clip 230. A boss 23I with which contact is made by another similar spring plunger 232 is carried by the fixez casting 225.

The sequence of events during the outward run of the carriage is therefore as follows:

The clockwise rotation of wheel 20! results in the clockwise rotation of the free wheel 200, it being arranged that this free wheel idles and no-drive is transmitted through the chain 2II. Thev cable drum 2I5 is therefore free to be rotated in a clockwise direction by the pull of the cable 220 which is connected to the mains supply, as it unwinds. This cable is a three-cored cable, twov cores being connected to the rings 2 I'I and 2I8 by means of terminals 2I0 and 220 which pass through the insulating piece 2I`6 and through the drum 2I5 but being insulated from the latter. The third core or ground lead is connected to the shaft 2M by means of the clip 230. The xed spring plungers 220 (one not shown) carry the current as the rings rotate with the drum to two of the cores of the threecored cable 233 which is connected to the motor. The third core of' 233 is connected to the earthing boss 23! through` the spring. plunger: 232,` thereby ensuring that the motor is itself grounded through the shaft 2 I4.

On completion of the outward run of the d'oifer (i. e. when the doffing of one side of theY ring frame is complete) reverse gear is engaged as explained above and the wheel 20| rotates in an anti-clockwise direction. The friction clutches 209 and 2I0 now transmit an anti-clockwise rotation to the` free wheel 208 which in turn positively drives the. sprocket 2`I2 by means off the chain 2II. The cable drum therefore. rotates in an anti-clockwise direction with the, result that the cable rewinds on the drum 2I5. Itl is arranged that the gear ratio between the sprockets 208 and 2I2 is such that the cable tends to beA wound on the drum ata speed slightly in excess ofthe speed ofV the' carriage. along the frame. Also, asv the cable builds up on the drum, the surface speed of the cable would increase if the speed of rotation of theshaft 200 remains constant. To preventexcess pull on the cable, it is arranged that the friction clutches 209 and 2I0 can slip against the free wheel 208'.: To regulate the maximum tension on the cable during winding the pressure of the clutches 20.9 and 2'I0 against 208 can be adjusted by means of the adjusting collar 235.

While the invention has been described in itsl application to a ring frame it could be applied' to a mule, for example by having right-hand and left-hand dofiing carriages, each operatingl to thecentre of the mule, beyond which neither could conveniently be arranged to move because of the.

driving mechanism for the mule carriage.

We declare that what we claim is:

1. In a dofng apparatus ofthe kind comprising a doffer carriage mounted on wheels and movable step-by-step to predetermined positionsv along a spinning, doubling or twisting frame,`

dofling mechanism on the carriage, means for driving the dofling mechanism through a dofng cycle, including a timing shaft and drivingmechanism for rotating said shaft through one` revolution for each cycle, and means for starting and stopping the driving mechanism for the" timing shaft at the beginning and end of each doffing cycle, the combination of traversing and latching mechanism for moving the carriage step-by-step and locating and securing said carriage in each of said predetermined positions, comprising driving means for moving the carriage, drive control means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, complementary engageable and disengageable latching members on the doffer carriage, means associated withv the timing shaft of the dofiing mechanism for disengaging saidlatching members immediately before completion of each revolution of the shaft and for actuating the drive-control means to start the drive to the carriage, and means in timed relation with the re-engagernent of the' latching members atthe next predetermined position of the carriage to actuate both the drive control means for stopping the drive to the carriage and the means to start the drive to the timing shaft of the domng mechanism for the next doing cycle.

2. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the combination of traversing and latching mechanism set forth in said claim, said latching mechanismV comprising a pivoted latch having a notch, pegs on the frame at each latching position adapted to be engaged by the notch, a slide adjacent to the latch, means urging the slide into a position in advance of the latch and a springloaded pivoted feeler member on the slide adapted to abut against a peg when in its advanced position and thereby to arrest the slide so that it is pushed back relative to the carriage against said urging means while the carriage continues to move, means on the slide for holding the latch in an inoperative position during at least part of such continued movement of the carriage and for subsequently releasing the latch for engagement of its notch with the peg, when it comes into register therewith.

3. In apparatus asset forth in claim 1, the combination of traversing and latching mechanism set forth in said claim, said latching mechanism comprising a pivoted latch having a notch, pegs on the frame at each latching position adapted to be engaged by the notch, a slide adjacent to the latch, means urging the slide into a position in advance of the latch and a springloaded pivoted feeler member on the slide adapted to abut against a peg when in its advanced position and thereby to arrest the slide so that it is pushed back relative to the carriage against said urging means while theV carriage continues to move, means on the slide for holding the latch in an inoperative position during at least part of such continued movement of the carriage and for subsequently releasing the latch for engagement of its notch with the peg, when it comes into register therewith, further characterised by high and low speed gearing in the driving means for the carriage, means for engaging the high speed gearing on actuation of the starting means for the carriage and means for changing to low speed gearing as the carriage approaches the next latching position.

Y 4. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, theV combination of traversing and latching mechanism set forth in said claim, said latching mechanism comprising a pivoted latch having a notch, pegs on the frame at each latching position adapted Yto be engaged by the notch, a slide adjacent to the latch, means urging the slide into a position in advance of the latch and a springloaded pivoted feeler member on the slide adapted to abut against a peg when in its advanced position and thereby to arrest the slide so that it is pushed back relative to the carriage against said urging means while the carriage continues to move, means on the slide for holding the latch in an inoperative position during at least part of such continued movement of the carriage and for subsequently releasing the latch for engagement of its notch with the peg, when it comes into register therewith, further characterised by high and low speed gearing in the driving means for the carriage, means for engaging the high speed gearing on actuation of the starting means for the carriage and means for changing to low speed gearing as the carriage approaches the next latching position, further 12 characterised in that the gear change is actuated by part of the latching mechanism.

5. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the combination of traversing and latching mechanism set forth in said claim, said latching mechanism comprisinga pivoted latch having a notch, pegs on the frame at each latching position adapted to be engaged by the notch, a slide adjacent to the latch, means urging the slide into a position in advance of the latch and a springloaded pivoted feeler member on the slide adapted to abut against a peg when in its advanced position and thereby to arrest the slide so that it is pushed back relative to the carriage against said urging means while the carriage continues to move, means on the slide for holding the latch in an inoperative p-osition during at least part of such continued movement ofthe carriage and for subsequently releasing the latch for engagement of its notch with the peg, when it comes into register therewith, further characterised by high and low speed gearing in the driving means for the carriage, means for engaging the high speed gearing on actuation of the starting means for the carriage and means for changing to low speed gearing as the carriage approaches the next latching position, further characterised in that the gear change is actuated by part of the latching mechanism, further characterised by mechanism coupling the pivoted latch to the control means for starting and stopping means for the carriage drive and to the starting means for the timing shaft of the dofiing mechanism whereby pivoted movement of the latch to engage the peg stops the drive to the carriage and starts the drive for the cloning cycle. f

6. In apparatus as set forth in claim l, the combination of traversing and latching mechanism set forth in said claim, said latching mechanism comprising a pivoted latch having a notch, pegs on the frame at each latching position adapted to be engaged by the notch, a slide adjacent to the latch, means urging the slide into a position in advance of the latch and a springloaded pivoted feeler member on the slide adapted to abutagainst a peg when in its advanced position and thereby to arrest the slide so that it is pushed back relative to the carriage against said urging means while the carriage continues to move-means on the slide for holding the latch in an inoperative position during at least part of such continued movement of the carriage and for subsequently releasing the latch for engagement of its notch with the peg, when it comes into register therewith, further characterised by high and low speed gearing in the driving means for the carriage, means for engaging the high speed gearing on actuation of the starting means for the carriage and means for changing to low speed gearing as the carriage approaches the next latching position, further characterised in that the gear change is actuated by part of the latching mechanism, further characterised by mechanism coup-ling the pivoted latch to the control means for starting and stopping'means for the carriage drive and to the starting means for the timing shaft of the doi'hng mechanism whereby pivoted movement of the latch to engage the peg stops the drive to the carriage and starts the drive for the dofiing cycle, further characterised by mechanism coupled with the timing shaft of the dol`n`ng mechanism for actuation at th-e end of the doiiing cycle to release the slide so that it is urged to an advanced position and means operably connected with such slide for lifting the latch and therebys-tarting the drive dorcarnage.

i7. In apparatus as set for-th in claim l, the combination of traversing and latching mecha- .nism .set forth inisai-d ci said latchinyg-mechanism l comprising a pivot-ed latch notch, .pegs on the ira-me at each latchin-g position adapted to be engaged by the notch, a slide adjacent to the latch, means urging theel-ide into a position in advance of the late-h and springloaded pivoted fee-ler mem-her on the slide `adapted toabu-t against `a peg whenin its advancedposition and thereby to arrest the slide so thatV it is pushed back relative to the carriage against :said

urging means While the carriage continues to l move, means on the slide for holding the latch in: inoperative position .during at least part of such continued movenient` of the carriage and `for subsequently releasing the latch` forengagement ofiits notch with `the peg, when vit comes into register therewith, fur-ther characterisedby high and loiv speedgearing in the driving means for the carriage, means for engaging the. high speed gearingon actuationoi the startingl means for the carriage and means for changing to low speed gearing as they carriage approaches the next latching position, further characterised. in that thcgeer change is actua-tedhy part ofthe-latching mechanism, further characterised: by mechanism: coupling the pivcted latch to the control means for starting and stopping means for the carriagetdrive and: to theistarting means for the timing shaft of the dofiing` mechanism whereby pivotedmovement of the latch to engage the pcq: stops the drive to the carriage and starts the drive for the doiiing cycle, furthercharacterised by mechanism, coupled with the timing shaftof the doinng mechanism for actuation at the end of the doihng cycle to release the slide so that it is urged to .an advancedpcsition and means operably connected with such slide for lifting the latch and thereby-starting the drive for the carriage, furthercharacterised'in that the means for releasing the slide comprises means for raising the :feeler member to disengage it from the pcg.

8'. In apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the combination of traversing and latching mecha-` nism setlforth in saidclaim, said latching mechanism comprising a pivoted latch having-a notch,

pegs, ontheframe at each latchingV position adapted to be engaged by the notch, a slide ad-` jacent tothe latch, means urging the slide into a-position in advance of thelatch and a spring loaded pivoted feeler member on the slide adapted to abut against a peg when in its' advanced' positionand thereby to arrest the slide so that itis.` pushed back relative to the carriage `against saidv urging l means While the4 carriageA continuesA tomove, means on the slide for holding the latch in `an inoperative position during at least part-of such continued movement of the carriage and for subsequently releasing the latch for engagement of its notch With thepeg, when it comes into registertherewith, further characterised by` high and` low speed gearing in the drivingmeans for thecarriage, meansfor engaging the high speed gearing onactuation of the starting means for theV carriage and means for changing to low speed gearing as the carriage approaches the next latching position, further characterised in that the gear change is actuated by part of the latchingmechanism,l further characterised by mechanism coupling the pivoted latch to the controlmeans for starting andstopping meansfor thefcarriagc drive .andto thestartins means for.

,i 14, the timing shaft `of the: codingmechanism vv-hereby pivoted movement of thev latchv to en'- gage thel peg stops the dri-ve` to the carriage and starts the drive for the doiiing` cycle;pfu11ther characterised by mechanism coupled with the timing shaft of the dofng mechanism for actuation atthe end ofthe doihng cycle to release the slideso that it is urged to'` an advanced position and means operably connected with such slide for-.lifting the latch and thereby starting the drive for the carriage, further characterised; in that the means for releasing the slide :comprises means for raisingthe feeler mem-ber to disch, gage `it from thel peg, further characterised in thatthe means forfreleasinglthe slide'compriscs .a camyonl theY timing shaftof the: dofiing mecha nismzand a lever actuated bysuch cam for tripping the feeler.

A9. In apparatus lof the kindV comprising a doffercarriagemounted on wheels and movable step-'by-step` to predetermined positions `along a spinning, doubling or twisting frame, dofiing mechanism onv the carriage, means for driving the cloning mechanism through a dciiing` cycle,` including a timing shaft and driving mechanism for rotating-said shaft through `one revolution for each cycle, and means for starting and stopfping the driving mechanism for the timing shaft at' thebeginning and end of each doiling cycle* the combination of traversing and latching mechanism for moving the-.carriage step-byestep andlocating and securing said carriage in 4each of said predetermined4 positions,` comprising driving means` formoving the` carriage, `drive-control means for eng-aging. and disengagingvsaid driving means', complementary engagealileA and start the drive to the timing shaft of the doiling mechanism forthe next` doliing cycle,` characten-A ized in that` the latching mechanism includes a peg on the frame foreach predeterminedf'posiition and a latch on the carriage adapted'to be engaged by said peg, and furthercharacterized` by the provision of: reverse gears for the cartriage drive, and meanslfor engaging the'reverse# gear on disengagement ci said; latch from thelast peg:

1Q. In apparatus of thev kind comprising: a,

doifercarriage mounted on Wheels andimovableV step-by-step to predetermined positionstalongl` a1- spinning, doubling or twisting frame, doflng,` mechanismen thecarriage, means for driving the.

dciing mechanism through a doiiing cyclein cluding a timing shaft and driving mechanism forz rotating said shaft through one revolution for each cycle, and means for starting and' stopping the driving mechanism for the timing-shaft atl thel beginning and end of each dofflng: cycle,.,

the combination of traversing and latching` mechanism for moving the carriage step-liy`-ste1:r

and locating andsecuring said carriage in: each of said predetermined positions, comprising `drive ing meansfor moving the carriage, drive-control means for;engaging and disengaging` said` drivingV means; complementary engascable-and; diseping the drive to the carriage and the means to start the drive to the timing shaft of the dofiing mechanism for the vnext doing cycle, characterized in that the latching mechanism includes a peg on the frame for each predetermined position and a latch on the carriage adapted to be engaged by said peg, and further characterized by the provision of reverse gears for the carriage drive, and means for engaging the reverse gear on disengagement of said latch from the last peg, furthercharacterized in that the means for starting the forward drive for the carriage includes pre-selector mechanism for coupling such means alternatively to the forward or reverse'gearing and means for actuating such preselector to engage the reverse gearing when the carriage approaches the last peg.

ll. In apparatus of the kind comprising a doffer carriage mounted on wheels and movable step-by-step to predetermined positions along a spinning, doubling or twisting frame, doifing mechanism on the carriage, means for driving the dofling mechanism through a dong cycle, including a timing shaft and driving mechanism for rotating said shaft through one revolution for each cycle, and means for starting and stopping the driving mechanism for the timing shaft at the beginning and end of each dong cycle, the combination of traversing and latching mechanism for moving the carriage step-by-step and locating and securingV said carriage in each of said predetermined positions, comprising driving means for moving the carriage, drive-control means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, complementary engageable and disengageable latching members on the doifer carriage, means associated with the timing shaft of the doiing mechanism for disengaging said latching members immediately before completion of each revolution of the shaft and for actuating the drive-control means to start the drive to the carriage, and means in timed relation with the re-engagement of the latching members at the next predetermined position of the carriage to actuate both the drive-control means for stopping the drive to the carriage and the means to start the drive to the timing shaft of the dofiing mechanism for the next doffing cycle, further characterised by an electric motor on the carriage for driving both the timing shaft of the dofng mechanism and the carriage, and clutch means associated therewith for coupling such motor to the timing shaft of the doiiing mechanism and to the carriage.

12. In apparatus of the kind comprising a doffer carriage mounted on wheels and movable step-by-step to predetermined positions along a spinning, doubling cr twisting frame, doffmg mechanism on the carriage, means for driving the doiing mechanism through a dofng cycle, and including a timing shaft and driving mechanism for rotating said shaft through one revolution for each cycle, and means for starting and stopping the driving mechanism for the timing shaft at the beginning and end of each dofiing cycle,V

16 the combination of traversing and latching mechanism for moving the carriage step-by-step and locating and securing said carriage in each of said predetermined positions, comprising driving means for moving the carriage, drive-control means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, complementary engageable and disengageable latching members on the doffer carriage, means associated with the timing Shaft of the donin'g mechanism for disengaging said latching members immediately before completion of each revolution of the shaft and for actuating the drive-control means to start the drive Y to the carriage, and means in timed relation with the re-engagement of the latching members at the next predetermined position of the carriage to actuate both the drive-control means for stopping the drive to the carriage and the means to start the drive to the timing shaft of the doing mechanism for the next dofiing cycle, further characterised by an electric motor on the carriage for driving both the timing shaft of the doifing mechanism and the carriage, and clutch means associated therewith for coupling such motor to the timing shaft of the dofiing mechanism and to `the carriage, further characterised by a cable drum for the cable to the electric motor, a cable drum therefore mounted on the carriage and means operably coupled to Va wheel of the carriage for turning the said drum to rewind the cable on return movement of the carriage and to permit the drum to turn for unwinding as the carriage moves forward.

13. In apparatus of the kind comprising a doffer Vcarriage mounted on wheels and movable step-by-step to predetermined positions along a spinning, doubling or twisting frame, doffing mechanism cn the carriage, means for driving the dofling mechanism through a dcfng cycle, and including a timing shaft and driving mechanism for rotating said shaft through one revolution for each cycle, and means for starting and stopping the driving mechanism for the timing shaft at the beginning and end of each doihng cycle,

the combination of traversing and latching mechanism for moving the carriage step-by-step and locating and securing said carriage in each of said predetermined positions, comprising driving means for moving the carriage, drive-control means for engaging-and disengaging said driving means, complementary engageable and Vdisengageable latching members on the doffer carriage, means associated With the timing shaft of the domng mechanism for disengaging said latching members immediately before completion of each revolution of the shaft and for actuating the drive-control means to start the drive to the carriage, and means in timed relation with the re-engagement of the latching members at the next predetermined position of the carriage to actuate both the drive-control means for stopping the drive to the carriage and the means to start the drive to the timing shaft of the doing mechanism for the next dofiing cycle, further characterised by an electric motor on the carriage for driving both the timing shaft of the do'fng mechanism and the carriage, and clutch means associated therewith for coupling such motor to the timing shaft of the dofling mechanism and to the carriage, further characterised by a cable drum for the cable to the electric motor, a cable drum therefor mounted on the carriage and means operably coupled to a wheel of the carriage for turning the said drum to rewind' the cable on return movement of thecarriage and to permit the drum to turn for unwinding as the carriage moves forward, further characterised in that the means operably coupling the Wheel of the carriage to the drum comprises a slipping clutch and free wheel whereby the drum may be caused, as the carriage returns, to wind on turns of cable of varying diameter Without applying undue tension to the cable and so as not to leave any slack, and to enable the carriage to move forward without unwinding excess length of cable.

14. In apparatus of the kind comprising a doiiing carriage movable step-by-step to predetermined positions along a spinning, doubling or twisting frame, dofng mechanism on the carriage, means for driving the doiing mechanism through a cloning cycle, including a timing shaft and driving mechanism for rotating said shaft through one revolution for each cycle, the combination of latching mechanism for locating and securing the carriage in the said positions characterised by driving means for moving the carriage from one said position to the next, means REFERENCES CITED rhe following references are of record .in the `:file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,408,587 Tucker Oct. 1, 1946 2,449,742 Foster et al Sept. 21, 1948 

